Resources Repository
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ArticlePublication 2020Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Recently, the UK government has made …
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Recently, the UK government has made antibody testing available to anyone wanting it, even if there is no clinical indication. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance for when to consider antibody testing in individuals with and without symptoms suggestive of current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection. Key points made by the authors include: (1) antibody testing is likely to be most useful 2 weeks…
Probability/Bayes | Clinical Care | Test Performance | Technology Assessment | Infectious Diseases | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2020Bayes' Theorem, COVID-19, and Screening Tests
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain …
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) through the application of Bayes’ Theorem for three hypothetical, stylized case scenarios. The scenarios involve three patients with a low, moderate, and high pre-test probability of COVID-19 infection. The category of low probability would include "asymptomatic individuals in a presumed low prevalence environment" and might vary from 10 to 20%. The category of moderate probability would include "individuals…
Probability/Bayes | Clinical Care | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2020Clinical Decision Making: Using a Diagnostic Test
This article is part of a 6-part series on clinical decision making. The authors use …
This article is part of a 6-part series on clinical decision making. The authors use two clinical examples to review the principles of interpreting diagnostic test results. They outline an approach that can be used to determine how to select and apply tests and their results to the practice of internal medicine. Topics covered in the two case studies include sensitivity and specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive value of tests, and how to estimate…
Probability/Bayes | Clinical Care | Test Performance | Health/Medicine -
Resource PackPublication, Teaching Resource 2019Resource Pack: BCA in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, includes methods papers, case …
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, includes methods papers, case studies, and reference case guidance for conducting benefit-cost analyses in low- and middle-income countries. These resources will aid advanced students and experienced practitioners in preparing these analyses. Investing in global health and development requires making difficult choices about what initiatives to fund and what level of resources to devote to each initiative. Although benefit-cost analysis is a well-established and widely-used…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Decision Analysis | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Global | Graduate | Doctoral | Professional | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
Resource PackPublication, Teaching Resource 2024Resource Pack: Introduction to Benefit-Cost Analysis
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, introduces the theory and …
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, introduces the theory and practice of benefit-cost analysis. It is targeted towards advanced students as well as practitioners and those interested in teaching benefit-cost analysis. Benefit-cost analysis (also referred to as cost-benefit analysis) is a well-established and widely-used form of economic evaluation. It is designed to inform policy and other decisions by providing evidence on the consequences of alternative interventions. In benefit-cost analysis, all…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Decision Analysis | Policy/Regulation | Climate/Environment | Economics/Finance | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Global | College | Graduate | Doctoral | Professional | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
ReportPublication 2017DCP3: Improving Health and Reducing Poverty
This report from the World Bank is the ninth and final volume of the Disease …
This report from the World Bank is the ninth and final volume of the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) series. It provides an overview of the findings and methods explored in the first eight volumes, placing them within a framework that identifies an efficient pathway toward essential universal health coverage through the implementation of 21 essential packages that include health interventions and fiscal and intersectoral policies. The Disease Control Priorities Network (DCP) promotes and…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Costing Methods | Health Outcomes | Evidence Synthesis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Maternal/Reproductive Health | Child/Nutrition | Chronic Disease/Risk | Mental Health | Injuries/Accidents | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Global Governance | Economics/Finance | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | Global -
Working PaperPublication 2018Valuing Nonfatal Health Risk Reductions
This paper explores approaches for valuing nonfatal risk reductions associated with policy choices in low- …
This paper explores approaches for valuing nonfatal risk reductions associated with policy choices in low- and middle-income countries. The approach for valuation ideally would be based on estimates of individuals’ willingness to pay for changes in their own risks. However, high quality valuation research is not available for many nonfatal conditions even in high-income settings. Typically, two approaches are used either alone or in combination as rough proxies. The first involves applying an estimate of…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Health Outcomes | Decision Analysis | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Global | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
ReportPublication 2017Investing Early: Taking Stock of Outcomes and Economic Returns from Early Childhood Programs
The past two decades have been characterized by a growing body of research from diverse …
The past two decades have been characterized by a growing body of research from diverse disciplines - child development, psychology, neuroscience, and economics, among others - demonstrating the importance of establishing a strong foundation in the early years of life. The research evidence has served to document the range of early childhood services that can successfully put children and families on the path toward lifelong health and well-being, especially those at greatest risk of poor…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Evidence Synthesis | Child/Nutrition | Policy/Regulation | Education/Labor | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2015Broader Economic Impact of Vaccination: Reviewing and Appraising the Strength of Evidence
Economic evaluations of public health programs such as immunization often consider only direct health benefits and …
Economic evaluations of public health programs such as immunization often consider only direct health benefits and medical cost savings. Evidence linking immunization to important benefits in indicators such as childhood development, household behavior, and other macro-economic data are unclear. A conceptual framework of the pathways between immunization and these broader economic benefits was developed through expert consultation. The authors obtained articles from previous reviews, snowballing, and expert consultation, and associated them with one of the pathways and assessed them using modified Grading…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Social Determinants | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Costing Methods | Evidence Synthesis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Economics/Finance | Education/Labor | Health/Medicine